There
are many local courses, ranging in price and skill level.
Ask your inn keeper for more details about courses close
to your location. Many
courses offer special rates for twilight play, seniors,
juniors, etc., as well as Internet specials and other deals.
Below are some
of the highest rated courses in Western Wisconsin from an
article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Following
that is a partial list of Western Wisconsin Golf courses
alphabetically by community.
1. Turtleback Golf, Rice Lake. The farthest afield of our
picks is also one of the region's best value for those willing
to make the two-hour drive from Minneapolis. A wonderfully
conditioned layout, it features two distinctive nines: The
front side is parkland with a small-town course feel, the
back nine is a longer championship test with target greens
and a four-hole sequence (Nos. 13-16) that some patrons consider
the resort's own "Amen Corner." The site of a 9-hole
course since 1927; you won't recognize the place if you haven't
visited since, say, 1969. Completely re-done 20 years ago,
it's a popular stop among golfers headed to cabins in Hayward,
another 45 minutes northeast. Greens fees: Range from $15
to $47 with cart, depending upon day and time. Discount for
walkers. www.turtlebackgolf.com Toll-Free (888) 300-9443 or (715) 234-7641
http://www.turtlebackgolf.com/
.
2. New Richmond Golf Club, New Richmond. Little more than
30 minutes from downtown St. Paul, yet it still can feel
like an undiscovered small-town gem. The 18-hole, par-72 "Old" course
is a beautiful wooded walk you won't soon forget, especially
the short par-4 No. 4 with its second shot through a chute
of trees overhanging the Willow River. The bunkering was
re-done last fall and a pond has been added to No. 11. The
nearby nine-hole reversible "Links" course, open
to the prairie winds, is fun and funky with its nine greens
and 18 sets of tee boxes which get swapped every Thursday.
Greens fees: Old course is $30 to walk weekdays, $35 weekends;
power cart is $26 for 18 holes. www.nrgolfclub.com
3. Wild Ridge Golf Course, Eau Claire. Opened during golf's
gold rush in 1998, it originally was one of many courses
built intending to be a $70-plus upscale daily fee. Now on
its third owners, it's a sprawling championship layout -
part open, part wooded - carved through glacial valleys and
defined by native-grass areas, at half the original price.
A local 35-member ownership group took over last fall and
vows to return the course to its original lush conditioning.
About 1 1/2 miles off I-94, it's an hour's drive from the
Radio Drive exit in Woodbury. The original Mill Run country
course is next door. Greens fees: $44.50 to ride, $32 to
walk. There's a $23 walkers special through the end of May.
www.wildridgegolf.com
4. Troy Burne Golf Club, Hudson. PGA Tour player Tom Lehman
teamed with Ohio designer Michael Hurdzan to create an upscale
daily-fee layout that rivals StoneRidge, Rush Creek, The
Wilds and Chaska Town Course on the Minnesota side. A modern,
contoured design with 125 bunkers, its front nine is open
to the wind, the back nine is routed through trees. You can
see all the landing areas from the tees. Home in July to
the Nationwide Tours inaugural Scholarship America Showdown.
Greens fees: $79 to walk, $13 more for cart. After 3 p.m,
$65 with cart. www.troyburne.com .
5. Clifton Highlands, Prescott. Golf Digest readers' 4.5-star
ranking might be a bit enthusiastic, but this very good layout
(and great value) offers elevated tees and greens on rolling
former farmland for the first 13 holes before finishing with
five holes that wind around a high wooded hillside (hence
the name) overlooking the St. Croix River Valley. A par 3
course with outstanding views atop the hill opened in 2001.
Greens fees: $26 to walk weekdays, $32 weekends, $13 more
for cart.
www.cliftonhighlands.com
OTHERS ALONG THE WAY
Amery Golf Club, Amery 715-268-7213 http://www.amerygolfclub.com
Five Flags Country Club,
Balsam Lake 1855 145th St 715-825-2141
Rolling Oaks, Barron 715-537-3409 http://www.cvga.com/rollingoaksgc
Sioux Creek Golf Course,
Chetek, 568 23rd St 715-924-3139
Clear Lake Golf Club, Clear Lake 715-263-2500
Cumberland Golf Club, Cumberland (822-4333)
http://www.cumberlandgolfclub.com
Pine Crest Golf, Dallas,
County Rd U, 715-837-1268
Frederic Country
Club, Frederic, 905 Wisconsin Ave S.,
715-327-8250
White Eagle Golf Club, Hudson. A tight, wooded, scenic
test over hilly terrain with a smattering of doglegs, four
miles north of town. Upscale daily fee, $59 weekdays with
cart, $69 weekends.
Luck Country Club,
Luck, 1520 S. Shore Dr. 715-472-2070
www.luckgolfcourse.com
Krooked Kreek Golf Course,
Osceola, 2448-A 75th Ave., 715-294-3673
www.krookedkreek.com
Clifton Hollow, Prescott. Located on the same county
road as Troy Burne and Clifton Highlands (no relation), it's
a classic mom-and-pop country course routed through river
valleys. $25 to walk weekdays, $29.50 on weekends. www.cliftonhollow.com
River Falls Golf Club, River Falls. www.riverfallsgolfclub.com
- - -
Kilkarney Hills, River Falls. www.kilkarneyhills.com
Butternut Hills Golf Club,
Sarona, N2976 Golf Rd 715-635-8563
www.butternuthillsgolf.com
Clam River Golf Club,
Shell Lake, 1199 Hilltop Rd, 715-468-2900
Bristol Ridge, Somerset. A good walk
over rolling hills, this par-72 course a few miles across
the river from Stillwater features some water and little
sand. A good value at $25 to walk weekdays, $32 weekends.
www.bristolridgegolfcourse.com
Saint Croix National Golf Club, Somerset. www.wpgolf.com/stcroix - - -
St. Croix Valley Golf
Course, St. Croix Falls, 2200 Hwy. 8
715-483-3377 Echo Hills, Turtle Lake
just 3 miles north and recently received a
National Award for Design. (986-2662 or
toll-free 888-739-4176) http://www.pressenter.com/~echohill/
Gizmo Golf - Golf
Simulator, Turtle Lake 730 US Hwy. 8 W. & 63 (715)
986-4140
WEB LINKS www.stcroixgolftrail.com has details
on 12 Western Wisconsin courses - from Hudson and Prescott
to Amery and St. Croix Falls - within an hour's drive of
each other. |
Golf
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